Congress treated Northeastern states as ATMs: PM Modi in Meghalaya

West Garo Hills (Meghalaya) [India], February 24 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the Congress and similar parties used to loot Northeastern states and treated them as ATMs, while the BJP considers the Northeast as the growth engine of the country's development.
Addressing an election rally in Meghalaya's Tura, the Prime Minister said, "Congress used to remember Meghalaya only during elections. Congress and similar parties used to loot Northeastern states and treated them as ATMs... 'Sabka saath, sabka vikas' is secularism for us. For BJP the country and its citizens come first."
PM Modi said that the people of Meghalaya have decided to have a BJP government both in the state and at the Centre.
He further said that Meghalaya will soon host a G20 meeting adding that people from many developed nations will visit Meghalaya which will boost the state's image.
"We have changed the old thinking and approach for the development of the entire North-East including Meghalaya. Congress governments had considered this part as the last part of the country while BJP considers North-East as the growth engine of the country's development," he said.
The Prime Minister said that the central government has increased the budget of the Northeast in the last 9 years but the people here tell that neither roads, schools or colleges nor hospitals have been built.
"The youth here are telling that there is corruption in the recruitment... there is nepotism. Seeing all this, Meghalaya has decided that there should be a BJP government in both Delhi and Shillong," he added.
"Tribal villages in interior areas of Meghalaya got electricity for the first time, since independence, in the last nine years. We have also allocated a surplus budget for road construction of villages and spent more than Rs 5,000 crore on constructing National Highways," he said adding that the Congress governments have always ignored these areas, but BJP considers the northeast as the growth engine of the country.
Talking about the development of Assam, PM Modi said that under the BJP government, neighbouring states of Meghalaya have achieved fast-paced development.
"People were only aware of Japanese Cherry blossoms but after I spoke about cherry blossoms from Meghalaya, people understood the potential of Meghalaya," he said.
PM Modi said that he is confident in the love and blessings that "Meghalaya Maange BJP Sarkar" (Meghalaya asks for BJP government).
He further said that the BJP government for Meghalaya means fast paced development, the end of blockade and violence, pucca houses for all and employment opportunities for youth.
"We have also strengthened air connectivity for Meghalaya and are installing hundreds of 4G towers in tribal villages of Meghalaya," he said.
Sharing anecdotes from the past, when the BJP government helped Indian nationals who were stuck in other countries, PM Modi said, "The family of Father Prem Kumar had lost all hope when the Christian priest got stuck in Afghanistan. I had promised his family and Christian religious heads his safe return to the country, and I am glad that I was able to fulfil my promise."
He further said that the nation and countrymen come before everything for BJP.
"Over 50 nurses from Kerala who had studied in Christian institutions and were working in Iraq were rescued by the efforts of the central government and brought home safely. We do not see religion while helping our own," he added.
The Prime Minister said that he was blessed to be showered with love by people in large numbers.
Taking a dig at the Meghalaya government for denying permission for holding a rally in Tura, the PM said that he does not need any ground to connect with the people of Tura and Meghalaya.
"But this love and affection towards BJP aren't getting digested by a few, and they are losing sleep over this. They tried hard that this rally could not happen but Modi does not need any ground for connecting with the people of Tura because people here have accepted me in their hearts. The gesture of love and acceptance shown towards me by the people of Shillong and Tura is proof that Meghalaya wants a BJP government," he added.
Earlier, the National People's Party (NPP) government in poll-bound Meghalaya had denied permission for holding a rally of Prime in Tura.
Notably, Tura, part of Garo Hills, is considered the bastion of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and a majority of his legislators elected from this region.
Voting for the 60-seat Meghalaya Legislative Assembly will be held in a single phase on February 27. The counting of votes will be done on March 2.